Ozarks river history repeating itself

2:26 AM,
Jun. 23, 2013

Tom Kruzen

Written by

Tom
KRUZEN

Twenty years ago, the Doe Run Company wanted to mine lead in Missouri's Scenic Rivers.

At that time a group called People for the West magically appeared with chapters in each county, and we started hearing about how environmentalists are evil and were going to bring the blue-helmeted United Nations soldiers to take Ozarks land and kick the people out. The black helicopters flying over us (the DEA looking for marijuana patches) were also part of the plot.

Some of us who loved the Jacks Fork, Current and Eleven Point rivers alerted the public to the dangers of lead mining and what that kind of ...